1973 Arizona Wildcats football team

Schedule

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Personnel

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Jim Young
• Offensive coaches: Bill Belknap, Bob Bockrath, John Mackovic, Willie Peete
• Defensive coaches: Mike Hankwitz, Sharkey Price (DL), Tom Reed, Larry Smith

Roster

• Jim Young
• Bill Adamson, mg
• Dennis Anderson, s
• Mike Battles, s
• Jay Bledsoe, og
• Charlie Gorham, k
• Glen Gresham, lb
• Rich Hall, dt
• Willie Hamilton, rb
• Allyn Haynes, og
• Bruce Hill, qb
• Dan Howard, te
• Leon Lawrence, db
• Rex Naumetz, de
• Brian Murray, ot
• Mark Neal, wr
• Jim O'Connor, ot
• Vince Phason, cb
• Ransom Terrell, lb
• Jim Upchurch, rb
• Bruce Walker, dt
• Roussell Williams, cb
• Bob Windisch, c

Statistics

Passing

Rushing

Receiving

Awards

All-WAC (1st Team)

• Jim O'Connor (OT)
• Willie Hamilton (RB)
• Roussell Williams (CB)
• Ransom Terrell (LB)
• Wally Brumfield (DE)

All-WAC (Second Team)

• Jay Bledsoe (OG)
• Bob Windisch (C)
• T Bell (WR)
• Jim Upchurch (RB)
• Mike Dawson (DT)
• Glen Gresham (LB)
• Mike Battles (FS)
• Leon Lawrence (SS)
• Charlie Gorham (K)
• Mitch Hoopes (P)

WAC Rookie of the Year: Bruce Hill

WAC Coach of the Year: Jim Young

Season notes

• Despite sharing the WAC title, Arizona did not earn a bowl invitation due to its loss to Arizona State and a lack of bowl spots available at the time. The head-to-head loss to ASU was a major reason behind the Wildcats being uninvited for a bowl. Had they beaten ASU and won the WAC outright, the Wildcats would have earned a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.
• Three of Arizona’s coaching staff would become future Wildcat head coaches. Larry Smith (defensive coordinator) would have a successful tenure with the Wildcats that began in 1980, and John Mackovic (offensive coordinator) was hired in 2001 and his Wildcat tenure would turn out to be a failure. A third coach, Mike Hankwitz, replaced Mackovic as Arizona’s coach during a disastrous 2003 season.
• Many Wildcats fans as well as the Tucson community credited Young for turning the program around after his predecessor’s failed tenure with the team. Young would be awarded the WAC coach of the year for his efforts.

References

References

1. (January 2, 1973). "New UA football coach Young plans to return winning formula back to Tucson". [[Tucson Citizen.
2. (September 9, 1973). "Arizona's ball control stymies Colorado State". The Billings Gazette.
3. (September 16, 1973). "Quarterback Hill leads Arizona". Fort Collins Coloradoan.
4. (September 23, 1973). "Arizona Hill too much for I.U. machine, 26–10". The Indianapolis Star.
5. (October 7, 1973). "Iowa loses again". Chicago Tribune.
6. (October 14, 1973). "Lobos lose to Arizona". The Santa Fe New Mexican.
7. (October 21, 1973). "Texas Tech gets win over No. 19". The Odessa American.
8. (October 28, 1973). "Arizona charges to 42–21 victory over Redskins". The Ogden Standard-Examiner.
9. (November 4, 1973). "Jim Upchurch powers UA's 35–18 win". The Arizona Republic.
10. (November 11, 1973). "Wildcats rake Cougars". The El Paso Times.
11. (November 18, 1973). "Air Force thwarts Arizona upset bid". News-Pilot.
12. (November 25, 1973). "Arizona State takes WAC crown, 55–19". Albuquerque Journal.
13. 2009 Arizona football media guide
14. . ["1973 NCAA Football Statistics (Arizona)"](https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/363652). *[[National Collegiate Athletic Association]]*.
15. 2010 Arizona press kit
16. (November 29, 1973). "UA fans thank Young for season turnaround". [[Arizona Daily Star]].